A Royal Navy serviceman has been charged with the murder of a colleague on board a nuclear submarine on Friday.

Able Seaman Ryan Samuel Donovan, 22, was charged on Sunday with the murder of Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, 36, who was fatally shot on board HMS Astute as it was docked in Southampton on a goodwill visit.

Hampshire police said that Donovan was also charged with the attempted murder of Petty Officer Christopher Brown, 36, Chief Petty Officer David McCoy, 37, and Lieutenant Commander Christopher Hodge, 45, who remains in hospital after he was shot.

Donovan, of Hillside Road, Dartford, Kent, is in custody and will appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Nick Hawkins, chief prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex, said: "I have been working closely with Hampshire Constabulary and now have authorised them to charge Ryan Samuel Donovan with Ian Molyneux's murder and with the attempted murder of Christopher Brown, David McCoy, and Christopher Hodge.

"Having reviewed the evidence, I am satisfied that there is sufficient to charge him, and that it is in the public interest to do so."

Lt Cdr Molyneux's widow, Gillian, paid tribute to her late husband on Sunday, describing the father of four as "utterly devoted to his family".

She added: "Everything he did was for us. He was very proud to be an officer in the Royal Navy submarine service."

A group of children had just left HMS Astute and a party of dignitaries, including Southampton city council's mayor, chief executive and leader, was being shown around when the incident happened.

The visit to Southampton by HMS Astute was billed as the first chance for members of the public outside Scotland and the north-west of England, where she was built, to see her.